Ignition and starter control for automobiles



N. AfHoNE-y-wpgl' ANnvago'.; MaK/QG. IGNITION AND STARTER, CONHOLFOR AUTOMOBILES.v

APPLICATION Hun FEB; 13,.'l9'18.

- Patented Ju1'y`8,`1919.

UNITED `sTaTEs PATENT oEEIoE.

NEWEL.. A. HONEYWELL AND CHARLES 0. MCKAIG, OF INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA.

IGNITION A ND STARTER CONTROL FOR AUTOMOBILES.

Application tiled February 13, 1918. Serial No. 216,985. i

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that we, NEwELL A. HoNEY wELn and CHARLES O. MGKAIG, both citi'- zens of the United States, residing at Inglewood, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented a new and useful Ignition and Starter Control for Automobiles, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to a'device for controlling the opening and closing of switches inf the ignition and starter circuits commonly used on automobiles, being more partic'ularly a lock and controlling device for starting an automobile. One of the principal objects of our invention is to produce a control of the class described, of simple form and construction, wherein a lock is operated by la suitable key, the key serving as an operating member for closing the ign-ition and starter circuits.

Another object of our invention is to produce a control of the class described, of simhaving extensions or ears ple form and construction, wherein a singleV -key is used for operating the device, which key has a limited rota-ry movement, and in addition thereto, a longitudinal movement for the purpose of operating switches.

Other objects and advantages will be made evident hereinafter -from the follow'- ing specification.

eferring to the drawings', which are for illustrative purposes only,

Figure l is a diagrammatic sectional view of the dash and floor of an automobileshowing a -device embodying our invention mounted thereon.'

Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view of the device shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the device shown in Fig. 2, the back of the device being removed.

Fig. 4 is a 'vertical sectional view on line 4-4 of Fig. 3. l

Fig. 5 is a face view of the lock.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional plan view of a portion of the device.

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic wiring view.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the key.

11 designates a box, open at the back, and 12 at each side adapted to be secured in any suitable manner to the under side of the dash 13 of an automobile. 15 designates a lock cylinder formed on the box 11 and extending forwardly therefrom, the lock cylinder having slidably mounted therein a rotatable barrel 16 slotted` longitudinally, as indicated at 17, to receive akey 18. 20 designates a series of tumblers mounted in the barrel 1G, and 21 designates a series of followers mounted in the cylinder 15, which followers are elastically held in outward position by means of a series of coiled springs 22, the said springs 22 and followers 2l being retained in the cylinder 15 by means of a flat ring 23 on the cylinder 1.5, held thereon by means of a suitable screw 24. n

The barrel 16 is provided at its inner end with a head 25 and a circular iange 25 which abut-s against the inner face of the box 11. 26 designates a circular groove which is engaged by a plate 27 secured by suitable screws 28 to the box. 11. A portion of the flange 25 is cut away as indicated at 29 in Fig. 3, so that when the barrel is turned, as hereinafter described, the barrel 'Patented J nl)Y 8, 1919.

is free to move inwardly. the cut awa)v portion 29 of the flange permitting the liange 25 to -pass the plate 2T. The turning movielnent of the barrel 1G is limited by means of pins or stops 3l and 32 which are mounted in the box 11, extending inwardly therefrom into the path of a cont-act blade 33 mounted on the head of the barrel.

designates a cont-act plate mounted on a 'block 3G of insulating material on the inside of the box l1, a suit-able binding post. 27 extending through the plate 35 and the lower wall of the box 11 'to the interior thereof where a suitable electrical connection 39 is made to the ignition circuit 40, hereinafter referred to.

42 rdesignates a plate or cover forthe back of the box 11, said plate being made of insulating material and having mounted thereon a contact block 43 in axial alinement with the barrel 1G heretofore referred to. 44

4designates a post on the contact 43, which extends through the plate 42 to the exterior -thereof, the post 44 being provided with a suitableelectrical connection 45 to the motor circuit 4G hereinafter referred to. 48 designates a post mounted in the back plate 42, a reduced portion 49 of the post extending through the plate 42 to which made a ica barrel 16, the arm 54 h wardly as hereinafter extends into the path of the head 25 on the aving a Contact block mounted thereon arranged to contact with the block 43 when the barrel 16 ismoved indescribed," the arm 54 and contact 55 thereon being normally in the position shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

The key 18 is made with a notched blade formed on a shank 61 which terminates in an enlarged head or button 62.

In Fig. 7 we have shown the invention connected to the electrical circuits commonly found on an automobile, and have diagrammatically shown elements in said circuits which consist of a distributer 70, a motor 71 and a battery 72.

The device is operated in the following manner:

'Assuming the partsto be in the position shown in l4`igsj2 and 7, in which position both the' ignition circuit and starting circuit are open, and it is desired to start the automobile the blade 60 of the key is inserted in the slot 17 in theI barrel 16, as shown in Fig. 4, the proper notches' in `the blade registering with the proper tumblers and movingthe tumblers and followers so that the barrel is free to turn in the cylinder 15. The key is then turned which brings the blade SSwon the barrel 16 from the full line to the y dotted line position shownv in Fig. 3, the further rotary movement of the barrel being limited by the stop A32, and when in such dotted line position, the blade 33 engaged the contact plate 35 thereby closing the ignition circuit, the barrel 16, being at all times connectedwith the battery 72 through the arm 54, post 48, connection 50 and battery cirv cuit 51.

When the barrel 16` has4 been moved as just described, the cut away portion ofthe flange 25 is in such a position as to permit the barrel to move past the plate 27. This is done by pressing the foot against the head 62 of the key, the shank 61 of the key being of the same diameter as the barrel.

` The barrel may be pushed forwardly, the

shank of the` key entering the cylinder 15. The inward movementof the barrel 16 moves the arm 54 and contact block 55 into conthe primary switch .set our hands at this 6th day of February, 1918.

tact with the block 43 thereby closing the starter circuit through. electrical connection 45 and the motor` circuit 46. Upon release of the pressure of the foot' 'againstV the key the spring arm 54 returns the. barrel to its original position therebv breaking the motor circuit through the blocks 43 and 45 so that the motor circuit is only closed when the key is pressed inwardly as above described. It is-understood that the key remains in place in the barrel 16 and the barrel 16 is `left in the dotted line position shown in Fig. 3, in which position the ignition circuit remains closed until the Aremoval of the key. It is to be noted that the starting motor cannot be connected until the ignition circuit has been closed and the key moved without breaking the ignition circuit. s

We claim as our invention l. An ignition andV starter 'control for automobiles comprising a .primary or ignition switch, a secondary or starter switch,-

a'lock, ,an operating member rotatably and slidably mounted in the lock,vand means for rotatable movement of the member closing and the longitudinal movement closing the secondary switch.

2. An ignition and starter control for vautomobiles comprising a box, a lock on said box, a rotatable and slidable barrel in said lock, a contact blade carried on the barrel, a contact in said box adapted to be engaged by said blade during the rotation ofv said barrel, engaging means for preventing longitudinal movement of the barrel during its rotation, an elastically mounted contact vin engagement with said barrel, a starter con` tact in said box adapted to bevengaged by `the elastically mounted contact when said barrel isvmoved longitudinally, and a removable operating key for said lock.

In testimonyV whereof, we have hereunto Los Angeles, California,

HONE Y W ELL'.A

MCKAIG.

NEWELL A'.

CHARLES o.

cannot be re-v 

